Kerry Gunshenan
Running for school board in Talbot County District 6
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
Candidate did not respond to this question.
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Regional sales director, Evoke Pharma.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Bachelor’s degree in finance, Villanova University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I’m running for office because I have seen a decline in education since my oldest child started in Talbot County Community Schools. I believe all our children deserve better. No one is going to care more or be more passionate about solving issues that face our schools today than a mother with four children in the system. I care deeply about our schools; I pay attention; I love our community. I’m a mom who wants to prioritize education and improve outcomes.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
A person dedicated to improving the academic experience of all students in Talbot County. Someone who is willing to work with all the parties to improve results by building consensus and hearing all points of view. A strong candidate will also have a clear vision for the district and the ability to develop realistic goals for improvement. Lastly, they must possess sound judgment and common sense.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
My top priority is to ensure all students are college- or career-ready by the time they graduate. I want to see all students obtain critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, it’s important for students to have personal responsibility, financial literacy, strong communication, respect for themselves and others. With the combination of these skills, our children will have a bright future.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Condoleezza Rice, as a woman of color, inspires me because she is brilliant and expresses a level of diplomacy that is sorely missing in today's political environment.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased education funding to support early childhood education, increased teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it will affect your school district.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future mandates so many requirements that it's difficult for our local school system to continue programs it feels are successful. Having the authority to make decisions at the local level will allow citizens of Talbot County to address the needs of our community schools more effectively.
Some school districts nationwide are placing new limits on the use of cellphones in middle and high schools. What do you think should be the policy on student use of cellphones in your district, and why do you support that policy?
Recent studies have shown what we all know to be true: cellphones in the classroom are a distraction and result in poor performance. We need to adopt a policy that restricts cellphone access during classroom time. This will improve attention span, student engagement and social emotional development.
Are you satisfied with your school district's efforts to ensure the safety of its students? What, if anything, should be done to improve school safety in your district?
With more discipline and accountability, we can reduce the acts of violence that occur. After talking to teachers and administrators, they said the best way to improve the safety of the school is to add a resource officer.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
Sexually explicit material is never appropriate for children. Parents who want their children to read these books can get them at the public library. It is not the function of the public school system to dispense sexually explicit reading materials to its students.
Some school districts enact policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students' parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
Excluding the parent from any decision pertaining to their own child is wrong. Parents should always be part of any decision regarding that child and their education.
